Shattered
by Biyouku
Summary: New chapter, minna. Ally faces the Charm Lord, discovers a hidden power in her mystic self, and makes some very unusual friends. Wow, if that's not a tell-all. *sigh* Well, please read/review! please???
1. Default Chapter

Before this...  
  
By Kamll  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all...*sighs* If I did, Ciato would not exist.*Grins evilly and brandishes a very sharp dagger* I expect to make no money off of this, I claim no characters as my own except for my original character Ally.   
  
Alright, this is my first fic EVER, so please be nice to me. RR, I beg you! I seriously need reviews! I know how people usually can't stand stories starring an original character, but just give me a chance and read the stupid fic.   
  
This is about a person (who I can't tell you about because I'll ruin the story for you) who tells White Rose her whole life story in the Dark Labyrinth. Okay, enough prolouge, time for the fic! ( RR, RR RR, RR, RR pleeeeeeeease!)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The darkness of the Dark Labyrinth was stifling and oppressive. White Rose walked through the hellish maze filled with terror and regret. Dark thoughts raced through her mind like mad wasps, a fullisade of doubt and worry that surged through her, inducing insanity and unbridled terror.   
"What if Asellus wasn't strong enough to defeat the Charm Lord? What will happen to her if she fails? Will I ever be free from this torturous hell I've placed myself in? Will Asellus remember me and come for me when this is all over? Did I do the right thing? And then to the two questions she most frequently asked herself. The two that always caused her to pause for just a brief moment to think of what was and what could have been:Why did I ever disobey Orlouge? Was Asellus worth the horrors I must endure every day? The arch-Princess slowed her pace to a standstill. Her mind raced back to her memories of Chateau Aiguille. She remembered the grim darkness of Facinaturu, and remembered that no matter how tepid and black the air that swirled over the Chateau ever was, It was never as dark as this. She remembered all of the mystics she had come to call friends. There was Ildon, a quiet and serious swordsman, The Black Wing, Prince of Darkness. Where was he now?...She strained her memory. The Dark Labyrinth had taken a serious blow to her sanity. She couldn't remember how long she had been imprisoned within it. Places, faces, things she used to know, things she no longer believed...It all swirled together in her brain, an interminable mass of thoughts and feelings that caused her emotions she couldn't describe and pain she couldn't bear...Suddenly, White Rose remembered with a start. Ildon was with Asellus. Yes, he came after the battle with Lion Princess...Lion Princess was a friend as well, her sister. The memories brought tears to her eyes that streamed down her face. Princess Lion, so devoted to Lord Orlouge...Mesarthim, the shy timid mystic she had helped Asellus rescue from Owmi...So many people, the humans as well. Gen, the drunk, Lute, the spirited young man with a passion for music, Emelia, Rouge,Liza, and countless others she couldn't remember. So full of life, so eager and willing to fight for a just cause, and Asellus... Asellus, who had her whole life snatched from her and thrust into a strange new life. Asellus was different from anybody else she had ever met. She did not desire power or lust for riches. She only wanted to live the life she had before, a human life over a mystic one! Asellus changed her as well. White Rose finally understood that Orlouge cared for nobody, and that he was nothing but an evil tyrant. He had to be stopped at all costs. Mystics, humans and even monsters had to be free...  
White Rose heaved a shuddering sigh that ended in sobs that racked her body. She sank to her knees on the cold hard ground of the Dark Labyrinth, alone...Or so she thought.  
"Oh man! It's alright, don't cry!" The princess looked up swiftly in shock and gave a scream of terror. Standing over her was a tall mystic girl who looked no older than 14. She must have been at least 6 feet tall, with dull golden wings that gave a soft glow to the dismal surroundings. But what really scared White Rose was her immense crystal sword neatly sheathed in a loose leather belt.  
"Calm down, please! I aint gonna use this, don't worry." So saying, the mysterious mystic girl unstrapped her sword belt and dropped it to the ground."There! Un-armed and un-dangerous. Geez, don't scare me like that, you almost gave me a heart attack! Not the funnest way to die, I'd much rather drown in a biiiiig tub o' chocolate..."She tilted her head to one side as in deep thought, then suddenly added with purpose "With nuts! Chocolate and nuts! Preferrably peanuts, but almonds and such are good too...." She caught White Rose staring at her with open-mouthed shock , and the stunned expression caused the young mystic to break into a raucous fit of laughter, her pale creamy wings opening and closing on their own accord. It seemed that she was unable to reassert control over herself, but finally, she stifled her laughter sufficiently to talk again. With a swift skip she was beside the stunned arch-Princess, offering her hand to help her up. "Hello! My name's Aleeta.I hate the stupid name, so why don't you just call me Ally? And you would be....?" White Rose dusted herself off and looked at the strange girl closer. She was wearing a ragged assortment of garments that were torn and ripped in many places but none-too-skillfully patched back up. She had light brown hair that fell past her shoulders.It was reasonably cared for, though obviously not troubled with to great extent, tied back with a dull red ribbon. Her wings were badly singed and scarred in many places, but they still shone with a lustrous lingering hue of what the arch-Princess guessed used to be golden feathers. They were now a sickly cream color. What riveted White Rose to her, however, were neither her wings nor her hair nor even the formidable sword that she was slowly unsheathing to check for damages. It was her eyes that frightened White Rose. A deep fiery crimson hue, Ally's eyes were those of a troubled soul. They slipped out of focus frequently, and would flare back in again with a burning emotion that only she must have understood, only to be overridden with another. There was pain in her eyes. Pain and loss, but of what?... She was so absorbed in Ally's eyes that she forgot she was staring, and as the girl finished inspecting her heavy sword, waiting for an answer, she turned her eyes back to White Rose's, locking into direct eye contact. Ally stared for a brief moment, then quickly averted her eyes, White Rose followed suit. There was a moment of silence, in which was finally broken by Aleeta's voice. "So..." In a flash of her marred wings, she flapped upwards, over, and right next to White Rose's left side. "I'm Ally. You are somebody who remains nameless to me. I don't think I could go for that 'cause no matter how much I might enjoy calling you Nameles Flower Type Person, the novelty's bound to wear off eventually. C'mon, what's your name?"   
White Rose's voice trembled with renewed pain at remembering her past life in the Chateau as Orlouge's slave, and in escaping ,still not being free from his torturous domination. She could not stop herself from crying as she blurted out "The 46th Princess, Princess White Rose of the Charm Lord Orlouge!" She burst into loud noisy tears and dropped to her knees again. Ally was silent for a very long time. She helped White Rose to her feet a second time and patted her back until her sobbing subsided. Then Aleeta flared her wings to their full extent and exploded in a wild rage "Charm Lord Orlouge?! You call that bastard a Lord?! That shameless piece of shit who put me in here?! I hate him!!! He'll never control me!!! Never again! Never ever ever again! Damn him to hell!!! I had a life! A human life with friends and family !!! I loved my life!!! But I was stupid and had no choice anyways. When he looks at you with those eyes...you lose yourself. You're powerless to do or say anything!!! And unless he wants you out for his satisfaction, and you know full well what I mean by that, you're forced to sleep inside a damn wooden coffin for years on end!!!"   
Abruptly Ally dropped her wings, suddenly exhausted. White Rose had shrank away from her and her towering rage, shivering in terror. Ally blinked back several hot tears and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. Her wings flapped a few times in anguish of her extreme emotions, then she folded them neatly with a flourish before turning back to White Rose.  
"Oh gods, I'm sorry about that. Really, I didn't mean to go off like that, especially not on you. But..." She struggled for words, rocking back on her heels in concentration. But it was White Rose who spoke next.  
"Ally?"  
"Yes?"  
She hesitated, then plunged recklessly on before she could back herself out of the question.  
"You said that Orlouge took your life away...Your human life, like you said. And the only occasion he would turn a human to mystic would be when...When he would make a Princess out of a human. Were you a Princess?"  
Ally's eyes flashed a dangerous light, but then dulled into a cold hatred. "Yes, I was."  
Then, in a mocking voice, "8th Princess. One number off lucky number 7..."  
Suddenly, and without warning, she burst into another bout of uncontrolled laughter. "So close, y'know? Guess it didn't help much, did it? What did he 'spect anyway, another grovelling cringing slave to practically worship him like a god? Hell no, not me! Hehehehahaha, was he ever surprised by the stuff I caused!!!"   
Beneath the wild laughter, Ally gave a deep shudder. White Rose noticed for a second time the appaling condition of the young mystic's wings, which were horribly torn and scarred and burned. She could only guess how badly Ally was scarred underneath. Then it finally registered in White Rose's mind: Ally was insane.  
The laughter subsided again. Aleeta looked square in White Rose's eyes and answered the unasked questions.  
"As you can probably guess, I'm not the sanest person you ever gonna meet. You ever wanted to know about Facinaturu before you came along? What happened in Rootville? What lies above the black fog of Chateau Aiguille Well, I'm gonna tell ya!" She unsheathed her large crystal sword and showed it to White Rose. " This is my blade. A katana, mind you. The Kupa. I named it myself!" She swelled with pride as her sword caught the dim light of the Dark Labyrinth. "I swear I aint gonna hurt you." She assured as she moved the blade up to White Rose's shoulder and laid the flat of the blade on her neck. " Kupa is the extension of my soul to an object. I was taught the art of soulsplitting by Rabbats. My closest friends...Eli, Zeeb, Gia, Jouh, and Bonn. But they come later...much later...I'm gonna tell you my story, the whole story.   
She gave a wink. "Zozma and Silence were exiled, Princess Rei escaped..." Her voice choked painfully, and White Rose felt a strange sensation run through her..." Lots of things were my fault, but I did all the good I knew how." Aleeta concentrated hard, and White Rose's eyes began to slowly drop shut. As she struggled to lift her leaden eyelids, a strange rushing sensation filled her ears, and she slowly slipped out of consciousness. Maybe she was imagining it, but she thought she heard Ally's voice ringing in her ears over the rushing din, "Get ready for a history lesson like you aint never seen! Hahahahahaha!!!  



	2. Encounter

Before this…

Before this…Chapter 1—Encounter

By: Kamll

Disclaimer: Don't own nothing at all except the storyline and the char Ally. None of the songs Ally sings. Not the candy bar PayDay. Not White Rose. Not Ciato (Pity, mwahaha) Not Ildon (I know who does…*cough-asurahime-cough*);)

Yes, I won't deny it: the prologue chapter sucked. It was short, badly spaced, etc etc. But I like to write fanfiction(and I looove getting reviews) so I'm gonna continue and show you all that this story can and will get much better! Well, read that ficcy! Oh, and as always RR! I cannot stress the importance of that enough. It means a lot to me. Thanx!

IMPORTANT!:When the story-Ally has a thought, it will be in italics e.g. "_When is Kamll gonna shut up and get this fic goin?_"

When the Ally who's telling the story says somethin, it'll be in bold.e.g. **Kamll! Hurry up!**

Grrr…I'm startin, geez…*goes off grumbling about pushy fictional characters*

White Rose slowly regained consciousness. She felt odd, light… Was it all a dream? 

"Yay! Ya finally woke up!"

No, it wasn't a dream. 

"Where are we?" White Rose asked, looking around in confusion. There was complete darkness around her, and as for Ally, there was no visible trace of her. The air felt different here, wherever here was. Lighter, fresher…

"Oh, before you get all worried or anything, we're in the Dark Labby.That _still_ worries me, nevermind…Anyhows, physically, we're still there, but not spiritually-slash-mentally…Er, I dunno the exact specifications, but I believe we're in a sub-conscious state of mind. Did you know that all memories that anybody ever has, all happenings, all words that were ever said or ever heard are recorded in one's sub-consciousness? Ah, the stuff ya learn on the Sci Fi channel. Tee hee hee hee!" 

White Rose, who had no idea what the Sci Fi channel was, decided to revise her question. "Where are _you_?" 

"Oh, whoops! Completely forgot! Hold on just a sec…" There was a pause, and then a blinding flash of white light. Next instant, a beautifully furnished living room materialized from the complete darkness. White Rose gasped with a mixture of confusion and fascination at the strangeness of what was happening, blinking furiously as if to awaken from her earlier impression of a very twisted dream. 

"That better?" White Rose spun around, startled by Ally, who materialized right behind her. "I woulda personally preferred a late 19th century décor finished with camel fur rugs, but I feel ya've had enough trauma without me addin more." She winked and leaned casually against the wall."Lemme first explain a few things." She straightened up and reached into the air. "You're gonna see things just the way I did." The air shimmered as if it were a mirage. "You gonna hear every one of my thoughts, you're gonna feel all my emotions…" With a faint 'pop' Kupa reappeared. Ally caught it easily and gave it an experimental swing. Then she laid it flat and beckoned White Rose to her. "Check it out!" the arch-Princess bent over the heavy katana, 'checking it out,' as Ally put it. 

"See these?" Ally pointed to thick cracks under Kupa's surface. "Broken clean into pieces. Pure crystal, shattered!"

"Did Lord Orlouge do that?"

Ally looked as if she was about to make some dangerous comment about Orlouge, but simply replied instead, "Well it sure as hell wasn't Ciato."She ran her hand over Kupa's scarred surface, feeling the scratches and cracks that littered the aquamarine surface. Her voice adopted a faraway tone, as if she was suddenly talking to somebody else, "…Broken so many times, yet always coming back…Strengthened, really. Forged stronger…But how much more can you take?…When you break, what's going to happen to you? You aren't going to last much longer…could you recover again?…" She stroked Kupa gently, her eyes unreadable. White Rose wasn't sure what to do, she had never seen Ally like this before. The young mystic had always been a little random in her speech and manner, and had found amusement in what the arch-Princess could hardly call funny She had even exploded into a fit of rage once. However, White Rose had never seen her. There was the same loss despair that she had noticed on her in the very beginning, and she realized that Ally's insanity wasn't the cause. It was the result.

Finally, at long last, she came out of her deep reverie with a start. She bounded up as if nothing had happened at all, causing White Rose to flinch with surprise. "Well, lets get this party started! This is what I call drama! Woohoo, hahaha!" She whipped up the pale blue blade in a swift arc, Intently focused . Mists of violet shrouded White Rose's vision, and when they cleared,she was no longer herself…

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Tell me, did you sail across the sun? Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights are faded, and that heaven is overrated?" Ally sang happily. Then, in her thoughts, "_woohoo! Train forever!_" It was dark out. Night in a world that had a difference between night and day. How strange it must be…

"Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star? One without a permanent scar and then you missed me while you were looking for yourself out there?" Her voice echoed out across the vacant lots and off the sidewalk pavement. Her feet gave a rhythmic _thwop thwop thwop_ as they crossed the wet concrete. It had been raining heavily, but it had stopped just a few hours ago. Ally was taking a night-walk, something she loved to do at any opportunity she could manage. White Rose knew this, but she had no idea how she knew it. It was an unsettling sensation. 

"_Aaah. Fresh rain air! Sweet!_" Ally inhaledthe rich air greedily, ending in a satisfied sigh. She switched songs on impulse, belting out "I want to get away, I wanna fly away!" As loudly as she could. 

"I want to get away, I want to get away, I want to get awaaay YEAH!" Laughing, shebroke into a slow jog. "_I hope it rains again before I get back"_White Rose was filled with a pounding surge of exhiliration she knew was Ally's. 

**The fun always runs right behind total disaster. It's just so uncanny, doncha think?** White Rose heard an echo of the real Ally's narration 

Suddenly, Ally jerked in surprise. She cocked her head to one side, listening hard. Tense seconds passed, and to White Rose's surprise, she drew out a thin blade no bigger then a dagger from a loose leather belt slunghaphazardly around her waist. The moonlight illuminated it's surface, casting a silvery blue sheen to it's light sharp edge

**Oh, that's the Kupa in case you couldn't tell. **

"Who is it?" Allygrowled in what she desperately hoped was a menacing voice. "I'm armed and I know how to use this thing!" An inhuman voice answered her. It was a voice of pure dark evil. Itheld undercurrents of indignation and arrogance. It froze the blood in her veins, and she almost dropped Kupa. "_What the hell?! Somebody help me!"_White Rose was struck by Ally's sudden explosive panic, and the realization that Kupa was only a foot long. An echo ofmemory, "_elevenpoint three quarters of an inch_" did nothing to help either. Ally's heartbeat was thumpingheavily in her ears, and she struggled to draw breath. Adrenaline quite different from that ofearlier seared through her. White Rose gasped at the power of Ally's emotions. They felt so real, yet so unlike her own.

_ _

"Shut up, insignificant brat!" A figure materialized on the star-dappled sidewalk. It was a man, dressed in a dark blue overcoat. His silver hair was slicked back, tied neatly in ribbons. His face was etched with cold fury and unmistakable bloodlust., and his eyes were furious crimson orbs that radiated hatred at Ally. He looked her over with disgust, and she looked back with an intense mixture of sheer terror, apprehension, and definite indignation. After a few minutes he spoke again, but quieter. Softer. No less frightening.

"Lord Orlouge will be pleased with you, useless and weak as you are." He leered maliciously. 

"What?! Who's Orlouge? Who are you?! And who you callin' weak?!" Ally swung Kupa back and forth indignantly. She was confused: she had never had the urge to start a fight like this before. Usually, she kept Kupa for self-protection. Koorong wasn't the safest town to live in. Gangs and monsters of all sorts swarmed through it's dark alleys and sewers, the same sewers Ally could navigate with her eyes closed. Ally had never killed anything, not even a Xeno. She didhave many close calls, countless harrowing escapes, but that was different. She didn't feel the desperation of escape. She felt the blood-boiling hatred of murder.

**Ciato. Who else? I hated him from the beginning. Still do, come to think of it…**

He sneered at her. Beads of sweat were breaking out on her face, but she glared back defiantly, swinging Kupa in short, sharp strokes. He wasn't gonna push _her_ around , she was sure of it. He spoke again, his voice filled with mockery."You couldn't hurt me if you tried. Now come with me or I will enjoy slowly killing you."

"Pfft. Are you outta your mind? I aint scared of ya." This was an outright lie, Ally was terrified of the cloaked figure standing not five feet away from her. For a brief moment, White Rose's head was filled with sword-fighting techniques, doubtlessly memories of Ally's. "_I gotta get outta here! He's gonnas _kill_ me!!!_"

Ciato's voice practically dripped with honey-sweet sarcasm, "Now look what you've done! You so insolently refused a direct command from a high-ranking mystic. I'm afraid I'll have to punish you most severely for this.Unless you may wish to plead forgiveness?Are you going to crawl on your hands and knees and beg for mercy?"

Two thoughts registered in her mind at the exact same time. This man was a mystic, a powerful one too. The realization of this sent an electrifying surge of fear through her, more intense than the ones before. White Rose was struggling to stay calm, but Ally's emotions were too strong to resist. "_What have I started?_" The second realization hit her much more forcefully. This mystic was going to try and torture her for no reason except that she was a human and she didn't want to be taken away from her home and family to wherever this Orlouge person was just to gain the general some extra prestige.This sent a leaden weight ofhatred for the sadistic monster thudding to the pit of her stomach.She was taller then him and had a pure crystal knife, but he was a full-fledged mystic with mystic powers and no mercy. Plus, the moonlight wasn't very bright and she could barely see, whereas mystics had excellent nightvision. This placed her at a very bad disadvantage. "_Aw MAN! What the hell kinda crap?!_" There was nothing to do but stand and fight the best fight she could. Then, without warning, Ciato charged.

"AAAH!" the mystic general's sword slashed deeply into her shoulder. White Rose gasped, then breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't feel Ally's physical pain. Aleeta backed up dodged to the left, avoiding a second viscious swing. Then she charged. Ciato was taken aback by the force of the attack and barely brought his sword up in time to block the attack. Locking hilts, Ciato used his strength to force Ally backwards. She pivoted out of the way and stabbed blindly to the right. She was rewarded by a scream of agony and rage from Ciato. Out of impulse, as were most things Ally did, she dropped downward grabbed Ciato's cloak. Twisting it around his feet, she yanked up forcefully, causing the mystic to crash to the ground.She was at his throat in an instant, Kupa scant millimeters from him. In the same instant Ciato lodged his foot against her stomach and kicked hard. Ally crashed backwards, winded, and desperately tried to suck air back into her lungs. Then the cold swordpoint was at her throat instead.

" _Oh shit!_"Aleeta cursed mentally. With cold malice, Ciato traced the steel point tauntingly across her neck.

"Tell me, are you scared of me now? Are you regretting your stupid decision to fight me now that the steel of my sword can end your life at any moment that I desire? Are you filled with terror? I know you are. You, a human, went up against Lord Orlouge's general. Close your eyes now, the sight of your own filthy blood spurting from your neck may frighten you." Ciato forced her eyelids down.

"_One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand…_" 

In desperation, Ally shoved Kupa under her assailant's blade arm and stabbed upwards, hoping, praying… 

"Yes!" The little dagger connected to the hilt of the general's polished broadsword, knocking it out of his hands. She reached up and made a wild grab for it. Amazingly, she managed to grab it right on the hilt. Now with two swords, she wriggled out from Ciato's grasp and levered her right foot to push herself back into a standing position, feeling more confident now that she had two blades.…But something was wrong… Ally watched in awe as the general's mystic energy crackled and hissed . Then, in his sword hand, a blade of pure energy materialized with the acrid smell of melted plastic. He turned and smiled evilly, and Ally broke into nothing short of terrified hysterics.

"Damn! How many swords do you freakin' carry?!" Her next words were cut off as a current of mystic energy blasted from Ciato's sword , striking Ally a painful blow to the stomach. She collapsed to the ground a second time, clutching her stomach in anguish, as tears of pain welled up in her eyes. Ciato, bleeding and breathing in ragged gasps, looked down at her in disdain.

"I was simply going to dispose of you. However, I feel Lord Orlouge would be displeased if I let such a fierce fighter as yourself simply die as any other inferior human." He grimaced as he said this, as if he didn't want to believe it. But the next instant , he glowered cold hatred at the injuredgirl, and and his grimace turned to a sadistic smile again.

"But you've fought me and lost. You must learn to never challenge the mystic general of Lord Orlouge again. Here's your just punishments."His mystic sword crackled as it's energy built up to a fierce blast of pure energy .Ally instinctively crossd the two swords across her as if to offer some sort of protection, but the burning discharge of raw energy struck her just as hard.

"OH SHI-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The pain seared through Aleeta as she screamed and writhed on the damp pavement. She was racked with agonizing pain for several minutes as Ciato vengefully electrocuted her until finally, mercifully, she blacked out with Ciato's laughter ringing in her ears…Was it her imagination, or had the rain started…?

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

**White Roooooose?** **C'mon, I'm unconscious but you're still awake.**

** **

"What? Oh…Where are we?"

**We are in my subconscious's subconscious**.

"What?!"

**Hehehehe. I knew that would get you for a second. Er, where are we? Oh, we are currently on our way to Chateau Aiguille to have no end of fun and cause no end of trouble. Sound fun?**

"What exactly is your idea of fun?" 

**Heh heh heh heh. Can't tell ya, that'druin the whole suspense thing I've got goin'. Tee hee, this is so much fun for me!…Up to a point, anyways.**

** **

White Rose was about to ask Ally what she meant, but she was cut off abruptly.

**Oh, I think we're there now! Yeah,I'm waking up. Come on, just watch!**

White Rose could tell the young mystic had skillfully warded off the question, but she said nothing of it. She did, however,note Ally's deep relief of the shifting of attention points.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The first thing Ally noticed was that her head and ribs hurt horribly. Groaning painfully, she clutched her lower right ribcage, massaging it with slow deliberation. Her hand bumped against Kupa's hilt, and suddenly memories of the night before flooded through her throbbing head Her eyes flew open and she leaped up into a fighting stance, Kupa drawn. Immediately she wished she hadn't. Sharp pain seared through her head, blinding her eyes and she had to sit down again, trying desperately to halt the thumping ache that was her head. 

"_OUCH! Oooh, that hurts!!!"_She got up again, more slowly this time. Her eyes blinked in the darkness, trying to adjust to the dim lighting of wherever she was. She felt faint and light-headed, probably a combination of hunger and exhaustion . That reminded her…Reaching into her pocket, she yanked out a PayDay bar. Ripping off the wrapper, she tore at it ravenously, litterring the polished floor with stray peanuts. After this, she felt a little better, although now she was keenly aware of her powerful thirst. Questions began to buzz through her mind, nearly overpowering White Rose with their intensity.

"_Where am I? Who was that general? How far from home am I? Are they gonna kill me?!_

Her thoughts rushed in an emotional hurricane of anger, horrible fear, grief.One burning question surfaced, disappeaered, then resurfaced again until it became her primary concern, overshading all her other questions.

"_Who is Lord Orlouge_?"

Her eyes finallyadjusted to the gloom around her. She just froze, slack-jawed in shock. It was a huge chamber, beautiful, but in a strangely foreboding sense. The ceiling arched high over her head. The windows were draped in fine silk curtains that fluttered in the slight breeze. The windows themselves were elegantly carved into the stonework of the chamber, barred with thick black iron rail. She longed to look closer, but she didn't dare touch anything. Sighing regretfully, she backed away and transferred her gaze to the rest of the room.. 

"_This is _so _wrong…Whoa!"_

_ _

The sudden reaction of surprise was result of finally seeing the reason for the elegance of the dark haunting chamber. Ally noticed, for the first time, that a lustrous red-wine carpetwas under her feet. White Rose heard a very faint"_This is gonna be so bad if my shoes stain this." _From the young human's mind while she traced her eyes towards the other end of the flowing material. Then she set her eyes upon the magnificent throne of the Charm Lord.

**I was so glad he wasn't there when I first saw it, I think I woulda had some sort of heart attack.** Aleeta noted matter-of-factly. White Rose flinched:she had almost forgotten Ally was there. She was entranced by Ally's fascination of the throne room's grandeur. She had been there so long she had forgotten how truly powerful it was to a fresh mind's eyes. 

Ally's eyes took in the beautiful detail greedily. It was highly polished, seeming to glow in the moonlight. Wisps of gold were intricately embedded into the smooth surface of the throne. Was it ivory or wood or stone? She couldn't tell, but she did know that it was not the kind of throne used for any ordinary king or lord. It was so beautifully crafted, Ally felt like she could stare at it for hours, taking in all the luscious details… Suddenly, she was visciously fearful again. Lord Orlouge was obviously a very powerful mystic. What did mystics want with her? 

"_Mystics…yeah, I remember now! Mysytics take humans away from their homes when it's dark out and the humans are all alone …And then you're never heard from again?! Oh crap, I hope I heard that story wrong._"

Ally whirled around, suddenly on some strange instinct, Kupa drawn in a split-second. All around the fringes of the carpeted entrance, she literally squeaked in shock. Four figures were materializing from thin air, simply appearing out of nowhere. She quickly recoiled from the throne and jerked backwards as though she had been caught doing something wrong, which she very well could have been. As the mystics solidified, each one glanced boredly at her, then looked a little more interested when they saw she was aggressively brandishing a knife. Slowly, she studiedeach one, her eyes neutral. 

She firstran her eyes swiftly over a tall mystic with neon green hair that fell past his shoulders. He was clad in fine black silk, as well as shining silver armor. His eyes were dark as midnight, and she couldn't keep up looking into them. He had two large powerful black wings with glossy raven feathers. Beautiful wings…

**Ildon, but you probably guessed that.**

A mystic with fire-red hair, wearing thick leather . His eyes sparkled a vermillion intensity, almost glittering with anticipation, but more so, mischief. He had a slight cocky smirk to him, ,but it wasn't the overbearing superiority smile of Ciato. More of an amused grin. She would have loved to hear him say something, he looked like the wise-cracking type. They locked eyes, and even his eyes seemed to be laughing good-naturedly. Ally couldn't help it, she grinned slightly and quickly turned her eyes to the next mystic, feeling unaccountably stupid.

**Zozma…** White Rose detected a sigh in Ally's voice, but couldn't really tell if it was real or if she had imagined it…

Next was a mystic with curling green hair. Not the harsh neon of Ildon's but a soft sea-green tint. He was laced in black armor, a finely-polished sword hanging from a richly oiled belt. His eyes were a light sky-blue, unlike Zozma's or Ildon's. They were intelligent eyes, and Ally squirmed under the calm gaze.

**Rastaban, of course.**

Ciato was the last mystic. He stood just as tall and arrogantly as when she first saw him, except thathis tunic was torn and bloody where she had stabbed him. Ally made no attemp to hide her pleasure and grinned happily at him. He scowled at her hatefully, but she turned her attention away. Distractedly, she drew an Ettin fang from her belt and honed Kupa to a deadly point, all the while carefully listening to the mystics' movements.

**I'll admit to you, I wanted him to try and fight me again. I hate Ciato so much.** The arch-Princess felt Aleeta's dark hatred towards Ciato as she spat his name. It scared her.

Then he appeared. Lord Orlouge. The Charm Lord, ruler of all mystics, be they confined within the dismal region of Facinaturu or not. He alone had the power to charm almost everybody to do his bidding, save the few who were immune to his spell. It took Ally a long time to notice him, and in truth she was completely oblivious of his presence until he spoke. 

"Well, Ciato. Have you brought me another potential princess?" His voice was light and insinuating, yet at the same time powerfully captivating. She was stunned by the soothing and rich timbre of it, and, more out of confusion than anything else, she spun around to the source of the words that flowed silkily from the Charm Lord's lips. Then they were eye to eye.

Orlouge sat calmly upon the gaudy throne, an image of powerful mastery. His long satin cloak flapped softly in a nonexistent wind, as did his pale blue robes. His silvery hair flowed down the sides of his perfectly formed face, giving him a very impressive stature of complete and absolute control. His dark vermillion eyes radiated supremacy and command , and they burned into Ally's with a coldness like ice. She was just as affected by his aura of charm as was White Rose, and feeling the emotion again caused the arch-Princess a brief ache of pain. Aleeta was so incredibly transfixed by his charismatic charm that she gazed at him with nothing less than a horribly intense mixture of terrified adoration.

"_What? Uh?…Oh no…oh gods…oh no no no…_" Aleeta dropped Kupa. Simply dropped her blade for the first and last time in her life. It clattered noisily against the polished stonework, but she paid it no heed. Instead, Ally clamped her hands over her mouth to suppress her screams. She desperately wanted to drop her gaze from the piercing glare of the one called Lord Orlouge, but she simply couldn't force herself to look away from the enticing eyes of the mystic.White Rose gasped under the overpowering frenzy of her fear. It was almost too much for her to bear. For a wild second, Ally contemplated making a break for it, but she heard the heavy gates close with a heavy clang behind her, locking her within the suddenly stifling chamber

"Yes, my lord." Ciato responded arrogantly. Ally twitched. She had forgotten he was here. "She resisted my command, but I couldn't kill her, I felt she had too much use for you. However, I did have to discipline her so she learned to respect her betters."

Ally's trance was broken. She whirled around to face Ciato, glowering malignantly at him,Orlouge temporarily forgotten.White Rose winced slightly. Nobody she had ever met had dared turn their back on the Charm Lord.

**Was I being an impulsive moron? Oh yeah. But I'll blame Ciato, 'cause he made me do it.** **'Sides, it was pretty fun…**

** **

**"**You?! _My _better?! Get real, you aint my better! You couldn't even beat me in a fight without using magic!!! And you're a _general_?! This is so unbelieveable it aint even funny." Ally fluidly scooped up Kupa from the floor, bringing it up in a fighting stance. She was literally trembling with rage at the smug mystic. "I used to be afraid of you, but I'm not any more. Know why? 'Cause you aint worth my fear. Eat shit and die." Each of her words were slow and deliberate, coated with inhuman hatred. She was insulting his intellect as well.

"I will not fight you." Ciato sneered. " I will not lower myself to fight on the terms of a filthy human ." 

"'Cause you know you'll lose? Hahaha, _you _are scared of _me_?! I don't believe it!"

Ally tightened her grip on Kupa's hilt. In a flash, Ciato's mystic sword was in his gloved hand. Orlouge said nothing, but watched with immense interest, as did Ildon, Zozma, and Rastaban.

**Fightin' Ciato in Orlouge's own throne room. Now _those_ were the party days!**

The two circled each other, sword points flickering, waiting for the other's move. Normally, Ally would have waited for the charge, but she was enraged beyond words.She lunged forward, Kupa's deadly tip a blur of aquamarine. Ciato parried expertly and slashed in a swift downward swing, missing the determined young girl by millimeters as she jerked backwards from the questing swordpoint. Charging forward again, she swung Kupa in a wild series of erratic slashes. Ciato barely had time to block the viscious blows of the tiny crystal dagger. Their swords crossed, and Aleeta pressed forward hard, attempting to slice open Ciato's face. However, the general was too strong. He laughed triumphantly as his mystic sword raked her left cheek down to her jaw, causing her blood to flow down her face.

"Ow!" Ally retreated a step, ignoring the stinging pain Ciato had inflicted. He feinted to the right, then struck her side, drawing more blood. Painfully, she lunged at him. He tried to evade, but she used her free hand to grab him and hold him still. The disbelief of a filthy human touching him froze him with disgusted shock, and she took the opportunity to drive her sword up to its hilt in Ciato's shoulder.

"AAH! Damn you insolent brat!" He struck her a crushing blow with his mailed glove across her head, laying her flat on the ground. She was racked with a throbbingpain in her temples, and her side was stinging horribly, but she wasn't out yet. Swiftly, she rolled out of the way, just in time. If she had stayed a second longer, Ciato's sword would have slain her as it swung down in a ferocious slash of unbridled hatred. She struggled to stand up again, but Ciato kicked her viciously in the stomach, forcing her to fall back to the ground. She felt a painful pressure on her ribcage as Ciato pinned her down helplessly with his foot, and through tear-streaked eyes, she saw him raise the sword high above her head , aiming to kill. The lethal blade hissed down, intent on murder, and it clashed solidly with Kupa.

For a second, both Ally and Ciato were frozen with confusion, panting with exhaustion and bleeding heavily at the wounds they had incured upon each other. Finally, realization dawned on the two enemies. Out of pure reflex, Aleeta had swung her hands up to shield herself from the general's blade. She had been holding the Kupa at the time, and by the greatest of good luck, it had blocked the mystic sword's vicious slash. The pure crystal blade would have broken, had it been made of anything else. Sensing an advantage, Ciato pressed forward, using his superior strength to force his energy blade down. Ally's arms quivered as she desperately struggled to push Kupa against the other sword, but it was a losing battle. 

"_Is this how it ends? No! I haven't even got my driver's license yet!!!" _Ally squeezed her eyes tightly shut, forcing her tired muscles to force Kupa to resist the inexorable strength of Ciato.

"Ciato.Stop."

Ally's eyes flew open in surprise. The command was spoken softly, but the force behind it was frightening. Ally had completely forgotten about him. Ciato hovered uncertainly. It was clear he wanted to slash downwards and murder her, despite the Charm Lord's command. His hatred was like a poison, he was going to kill her anyway. But another voice cut through the oppressive chamber. A high voice that rang clearly off the walls of the throne room.

"Ciato! The lord told you to stop. Get your sword off of her!"

Everybody in the hall except Ally stared in disbelief at the speaker. It was Zozma. He was glaring hatefully at Ciato, and Ciato glared back equally venomously. Slowly, he drew the blade off of the young human. In a flash, it dissipated back into his mystic energy stream. Ally collapsed in relief, breathing hard. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears loudly, and she was on the verge of unconsciousness.

"She is an impressive find, Ciato. You have done well, she will do for my eighth princess." Orlouge's voice was soft and sweet."When she awakens, she will be a mystic like us." 

"Huh?"Ally struggled to stay awake. "Princess?..Uh…." She was rapidly slipping out of consciousness, but still fighting to stay coherent. "Sounds cool….Wings wouldbe nice…Oh, nighty." She promptly passed out, slipping into fevered dreams.

To Be Continued

Well? I find it a major improvement. Do you? I apologize for the prologue, it was powered out in about 3 hours and wasn't even spell-checked. Why did I do it? I needed to motivate myself to write this story. I can't stand dreaming about it anymore! I need to get it out on paper to get it out of my head. Thank you for reading.Lots more coming! Ja ne!

_ _


	3. Resistance

Before This-Resistance

By: Kamll

Finally! I'm able to write something! Found my muse _at last_. His name's Biyouku , the orange camel. This was _his_ idea to continue this fic, and, of course, I listened to him...Hey, stop looking at me like that!

Disclaimer: I don't own SaGa Frontier. I do own a copy, but I didn't make it. Please don't sue me, you might win and get my PS2. Then I'd cry and have to rely on Biyouku to console me. Ally is my character. That being sufficient, I'll proceed with the fic.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

There was nothing to do except wait. Wait in the darkness of another's troubled mind. Ally was still asleep. Had been for about six hours. Glimpses of odd dreams, mixed with swirls of something that may have been thought or feeling or both, drifted in a lazy interlap through the young, unconscious mystic's mind. White Rose was amazed at the startling clarity of the memories and emotions of her new acquaintance. In truth, she was mildly frightened by Aleeta. Mainly an easy-going mystic, she was nevertheless a rather unstable person. She guessed it was because of the Dark Labyrinth punishment Orlouge had inflicted on her, but she couldn't be sure. Being so light-hearted and happy, White Rose at first thought it didn't affect her at all. But that was a lie. It had hurt her deeply, both physically and mentally. She just tried hard not to show it. But why..?

**Waking up already? For the love of…**

Ally was slightly agitated by the sudden return to wakefulness, but disguised it none-to-skillfully as a cough. However, she was then silent, and White Rose followed suit, watching intently.

Aleeta blinked sleepily, her eyes fluttering open in complete darkness. "_Sleep…goin' back to…sleep…_" She closed them again, shifting to a more comfortable position. But her mind bubbled mercilessly under the leaden veil of fatigue, forcing her to remember what had happened. Slowly, her memory blurred together to remind her… Finally, it registered and she bolted into full wakefulness. She jerked upwards, striking her head painfully against something heavy and solid. Cursing fiercely, she rubbed her head vigorously, dropping backwards.

**My first word of my mysticism.** She said reverently. She tried to continue, but was consumed by fervent giggles.

Ally shook her head to clear it, all the while trying to sort out where she was and what was happening. Tentatively she reached out and groped around in the darkness. Her questing fingertips encountered a smooth hard surface. Running her hands down, she gathered that she was in some sort of box. Or …coffin?

"_Am I dead?_" Swimming confusion turned to acute panic. "_What's happening? Wha…Where the hell am I ?!_"

Almost without though, Ally reached down to her leather belt, unsheathing Kupa. Feeling the blade carefully to see if it was damaged, she strained her eyes, trying to make out her surroundings. There was a sort of light around her, but she couldn't tell if her eyes were playing her up or not. Again, her hands felt around, searching for the space where the lid met the box. Finding it, she pushed up slowly, trying to open it. It wouldn't budge. Kupa hissed upwards as Ally thrust it forward. Instead of slashing through the barrier, the solid crystal blade clinked dully off in a shower of sparks. Angered by her blade's uselessness, she pounded the lid in frustrated anger. To her complete surprise and shock, the lid swung open smoothly without a sound. Ally, trying hard to control her fear, looked out. Kupa drawn and ready.

The first thing she noticed that set her mind ringing in alarm was that it seemed brighter than the last time she was here. She blinked a few times in confusion. Blinked some more. Shrugged it off.

"_Eh, I'm imagining things. It aint any lighter in here than it was last time. "Sides, I can't even remember exactly how bright it was. I'm just disoriented, I'm fine_." She knew full well that she was babbling in her mind, but she denied it to herself.

She slowly stepped out of the box. Looking back, she saw, to her horror and disgust, that it truly was a coffin. Aleeta was filled with trepidation. This wasn't real. Couldn't be. "I'm dreaming." She said aloud, her voice wavering slightly. "This is just a really bad dream." Then, looking at her reflection in Kupa's aquamarine surface for a moment, she burst into tears. "I wanna wake up!" she sobbed. "I wanna go home!" It wasn't a dream. Deep down she knew it, and she was unable to tell herself otherwise. She couldn't control her tears that dribbled down her face. White Rose felt her grief, a tidal wave of pain that racked her body. Ally sat down on the rim of the coffin and clasped her hands over her face, trying in hopeless desperation to halt the flow of tears.

**I am not in control my emotions.** Ally said quietly. **Never have been. Never will be. I can't suppress any damn thing.** White Rose felt a wave of powerful pity for the lonely mystic.

Brushing her tears away angrily, she looked up. Through her blurred eyes, she saw a mystic standing silently at attention. Right in front of her. She yelped in surprise and leaped up, brandishing Kupa. It was the red-haired mystic that had defended her from Ciato in Orlouge's throne chamber. She lowered Kupa slightly, glaring suspiciously.

"What are _you _doing here?" She snarled. A pang of guilt and regret pulsed in her for a moment ; she didn't mean to sound ungrateful, Ciato probably would have killed her without him. Stubbornly, her pride stopped her from apologizing.

**How long has it been since I've seen him? Zozma…I knew him for hundreds of years, and I never did say I was sorry…**Ally's voice was muffled, but the bitterness and sadness was so strong that her words failed. It was in her silence that she spoke the most.

Zozma seemed unfazed by Ally's piercing words, breaking his disciplined stance by leaning casually against a pillar. The only sign that Ally had hurt him was the slight flicker to his crimson eyes. But the next moment he looked the same sardonic way he always did. 

"So, you're awake."

"Morning glory." she muttered sullenly, still watching him like a hawk. Zozma smirked at her and she scowled back.

"Orlouge wants to see you." He said lightly, casting a meaningful glance at her, as though the two of them were in on something. Ally just stood puzzled, tightening her hold on the hilt of Kupa.

"I don't suppose this is an option, is it?"

"Not really." Zozma answered coyly. She scowled back in irritation."You'd better hurry." Zozma said. Then, with a cocky wink, "See you there." Then he was gone, melted into the shadows. To shake off the unholy feeling of helplessness, she gripped her katana, squared her shoulders, and ventured out of the dark room with the coffins, searching for wherever she was supposed to go. Her horrible feeling of cold unrest intensified to a panicked pitch when she realized she knew the way she was supposed to go as she turned through a doorway.

A vaulting iron gate that arched over to form a graceful swooping curve. Yet even more roses were laced through it. She stood there, unable to make herself go forward. She was shivering with fear; in truth, she didn't want to see Orlouge again. Ever. She didn't like how he made her feel. Deep, possessing charisma, even though she was scared out of her mind just being in the same room with him. She couldn't do it. Her breathing was irregular and harsh. For the first time, Kupa didn't make Ally feel any more secure. Unfortunately, the choice to say no wasn't hers to make. As she stood riveted, the double doors swung open with a loud rasping creak. She stiffened, unsure.

"_Go on! You gotta!_"

"_No, run for it_!"

"_You can't_!"

"_You have to!_"

"_No!"_

"_Are you crazy?! Get out!!!_"

**My very pathetic way of weighing pros and cons. Heheheheh.**

Ally was racked with indecision. But she knew she couldn't stand and do nothing. It was time for a decision. For a split second, she turned to run, but instead she took a deep breath, gripped Kupa resolutely, and took a step into the foreboding chamber. Focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, keeping her eyes relatively lowered, she entered into Orlouge's presence. In all honesty, it was all she could do to keep from cowering at his feet; her legs were trembling so badly.

**So I aint brave. I really wish I was. I couldn't even look him in the eyes for gods' sake.** Ally was bitter with herself, her voice dark and dangerous. White Rose wasn't sure what to say to that, so she said nothing. Aleeta lapsed back into silence, watching disgustedly.

"What is your name?" The Charm Lord's voice was filled with a fascination power that overwhelmed Ally's senses with a blinding wave of magnetism. She silently cursed herself for the feeling, then, after a blank pause, the question registered to her.

"_Lie? Will he know?_"

"O_f course he will. Tell the truth_."

"_Lie! You outta your mind, telling him your real name!?_"

"_Tell him your name, you have to!_"

"_HURRY UP AND_ _ANSWER HIM! _"

"Aleeta!" She blurted it out a little faster than she intended to, her voice higher than usual. She coughed, clearing her throat surreptitiously, then added shakily in a somewhat more normal tone, "I usually just go by Ally."

"Aleeta is a beautiful name." He said in a rich voice that seemed to possess her. Ally grimaced as if she didn't really believe that, but upon further thought quickly dropped the expression. Against the veil of his charm, she struggled to compose her mind enough to ask something, but she didn't get the chance. In a smooth fluid motion, Lord Orlouge was up out of his elaborate throne, tilting her head up so she was forced to look up at him. She gave a muffled choking noise of shock as he locked his gaze on her, clouding her mind.

"And you are beautiful as well." He continued, his eyes captivating her senses as his free hand stroked her long brown hair. She was dully aware of the other mystics in the room as well, but her mind was not there. She was focused on those beautiful eyes…Releasing her from his spell, Orlouge stepped back to look more closely at Ally. She squirmed in discomfort as he circled her, her mind working in slow-motion under the oddly pleasurable burning sensation Orlouge caused her to feel.

"Where am I?" Ally asked, her voice stronger than before. The Charm Lord circled back to face her, looking into her eyes again. She struggled not to flinch from them as he answered.

"You are in the realm of Facinaturu, my dear." Orlouge said sweetly. Ally had no clue what or where Facinaturu was, so she gave a confused look, not trusting her voice anymore. The phrase 'my dear' unsettled her more than she let on, even to herself. It made her feel very strange…

"Facinaturu. Realm of the mystics." He explained patiently. Ally nodded, having no clue where this was, but wisely trying to keep him from getting annoyed at her ignorance. Hesitantly, she carefully worded her next question.

"Who are you?" She hoped that the query didn't somehow offend him. He transferred his gaze behind her, and she turned her head around too. The other mystics, who had up to this point stood motionless behind her, came to life.

"Charm Lord"

"Merciless King"

"Protector of Rose"

"Ruler of Darkness"

"Pursuer of Beauty"

"Supreme Judge"

"Ruler of Facinaturu"

"Lord of the Castle"

"Mystic Lord Orlouge"

Ally just stood there in awe at this. She felt burning inside, hardly able to breathe for the panic mixed with attraction, choking out her next words before she could quite get her mouth to work them properly.

"Let me go home! I shouldn't be here…can't be here! I'm human!" Shaking badly now, her eyes alight with fear. Orlouge smiled benevolently at the young mystic, his eyes burning into hers. 

"But you aren't a human, not anymore. You are a mystic." This was too much for Ally. So far, she had been able to cope with the fact that she was taken away by a race of people who were supposed to be nothing more than a fairy tale. She had been able to cope with being in Orlouge's presence, although not too well. But she wasn't able to accept that her humanity had been stripped from her. The shocked disgust broke through his charm, and she dropped to her knees in horror.

**Hey, I can only take so much.** She growled defensively. **I'm told my reactions were different from others taken this way. Eh, it's true too.**

"Zozma." Orlouge directed his next words towards the fiery-haired mystic. He looked up suddenly, as if he hadn't been paying complete attention. 

"Yes, my lord?" Aleeta thought she heard a slight edge of sarcasm to his voice, but she didn't really wonder or care about anything right then. She kept hearing two words echoing through her mind, buffering her other thoughts away to come in a resounding echo through her head.

"_Not human_…_Not human_…"

"You are to be Aleeta's trainer. From you she must learn how to fight, as well as proper mystic etiquette." Ally noted mild emphasis on the word 'proper'.

"Yes my lord." Zozma replied brightly, bowing low. Orlouge shot him what might have been a warning glare, then disapparated. The other mystics also departed, save Ciato and Zozma. The general mystic sneered in distaste at the two. 

"That brat will never be a true mystic, especially with you as her teacher." With that parting statement, Ciato was gone. Zozma looked at his new pupil, still in shock. Sighing, he knelt down next to her to help her up. Ally's eyes were devoid of any feelings, empty, seemingly oblivious to all around her. Only White Rose knew otherwise.

_Not human?! I _have_ to be human! How can I _not _be human?! Where the hell am I?! I have to run away! Go back home, back to Koorong. Parents prob'ly wonder where I am, I need to…uh…have to…_ But the Charm Lord's influence slowly ebbed her willpower. _You don't need to return to Koorong. Your place is in Facinaturu, Lord Orlouge has made you a mystic. Aren't you grateful?'Course you are, he's made you so much more than you were before. You a mystic! You owe him your existence now, come to think about it. He's so beautiful too…And you know it. Doncha? Yep. Yes you do. He loves you, ya know. _This part jolted her, nearly causing her to break the charm. The thoughts continued to inunduate her mind, fast and furious. _He's not going to hurt you, he'd never hurt you. He loves you, he cares about you. Don't you want to make him happy? Of course you do… _Her mind blurred together, unable to focus on a single thought anymore.

**I got the strange feeling that you was born mystic, my flower fanatic friend. **Ally, her voice threatening to crack under her vehement revulsion. **Well, this is what Orlouge does. He takes people from their friends and family. He takes 'em from their homes, Rose. From their families and the lives they once lived. If that wasn't bad enough, he messes up their minds too. Do you still feel guilty for goin' against him? If ya do, I feel either real strong admiration for your loyalty or complete and total disgust with your ethics. You know the worst thing? Even now, even after all that's happened to me, after all I've seen Orlouge do? I'm still not sure which I feel … **Her voice wavered, and White Rose was filled with sadness for her, as well as amazement. How had this innocent young girl gotten mixed up with Orlouge and the other mystics? 

"Ally?" Zozma shook her gently. Ally's head snapped up, suddenly clarified. Cleared by Orlouge muddling it. She was no longer terrified;she was honored and fascinated at the prospect of her new life. All her worries and insecurity and wariness were swept aside from her mind. By a powerful, pulsing wave of happiness, of all things. Happiness and love. Zozma saw the look of charmed ecstasy on his new pupil's face, and his eyes dropped sadly. Here was another victim of Orlouge's seductive evil. Ally didn't notice.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

A few days later, Zozma was demonstrating the art of metamorphosis. Aleeta was watching intently as he melded into a Thundragon, then burst into the form of a Hellhound, who leaped into the air as a swift powerful Wyvern. Changing back into himself, he looked smugly at his wide-eyed, admiring student.

"That's so cool! Tell me how to do it, come on!" Ally eagerly strode onto the training arena, watching Zozma expectantly. He grinned at her impatience. White Rose felt Ally's gleeful anticipation.

"First, you need to think about the monster you want to become." He instructed mock-seriously. Stifling a smile, Ally nodded, deciding on an Axebeak. "Now, try to focus your mystic energy. You can sort of feel it." After a minute, Aleeta nodded again. "Now close your eyes, and picture yourself morphing into your choice." She missed his sudden mischievous smirk, as well as the slight tone change in his voice. "Only picture your choice in a solid color, so your aura can comprehend the shape of the monster instead of focusing on its colors. Your subconscious will take care of that." he added. White Rose felt Ally's focus on the Axebeak, deciding on a bright blue shade. A familiar rush of mystic current ran through the astonished young mystic, hissing and crackling as it engulfed her in its energy. There was a sharp bang, a shower of sparks, and Ally was standing on two bent-back, slender bird legs. A strong axebeak, in which the species was named for, jutted out from the bridge of her nose, a formidable heavy natural weapon of the birds. Axebeaks had no wings, but relied on their strength and agility, which Ally felt radiate from the big bird's body. However, instead of the natural coat of shaggy tangerine feathers and the characteristic three green tail feathers, she was completely blue, from beak to talons. Listening to Zozma's unbridled laughter as he clutched the railing for support, it didn't take Ally long to realize she'd been had.

"Zozma!" she growled, although because of the bird's uniquely shaped beak, it came out more like "Shogshma!" Unable to be angry at the brazen mystic, however, she started laughing too, a strange sound to come from an Axebeak. In a flash, Zozma transformed into a solid green bird of equal size. He opened his beak to talk, and his speech was much more lucid than hers, undoubtedly due to practice.

"Axebeaks are natural fighters, unlike our real mystic forms. A combat species." He turned his head to the side and grinned mischievously, a difficult thing to do with a beak. "Blue against green?" He pawed the ground with his talons, an Axebeak sign of aggression. Ally tossed her beak in the air, a sign of acceptance of combat. She winked.

"May the best-looking Axebeak win!" The two birds charged, expertly circling and slashing with their claws and clashing their sharp beaks together, caught up in the exhilaration of the duel. White Rose marveled in the amazing speed and skill of the Axebeak's moves, feeling Ally's excitement as she ducked a vicious swipe of her opponent's beak and retaliated with a lightning fast scratch of unbelievable speed. 

**Zozma's so cool. I'm glad he was my teacher. He was the best part of being a mystic.** Aleeta, even under the depressing circumstances in which she was relating the story, couldn't help but laugh at the happy memory.

"Ow!" Zozma skillfully tripped her up as she charged. Off-balanced, she stumbled to regain it. Zozma took the moment to crash into her, sending her sprawling to the tiled floor of the training arena. Ally, on her back and vulnerable, lashed upwards with her talons, catching Zozma sharply against his flank. Rolling over, she was struck heavily by her opponent's beak. This surprised her; she would have thought he'd need more time to recover. Before she could move again, he had his talons pressed into the back of her head, the death-spot of the Axebeak. The fight was over. Both Ally and Zozma morphed back into their original forms. Aleeta was amazed.

"Damn! You really _are_ a mystic soldier, Zoz." She let him help her up. "How did you _get _so good? You gotta tell me all this stuff!" 

"When you're in the Axebeak form, you can take a lot of damage from claws and their beaks because of their endurance, but their balance system is very easily broken. Also, when an Axebeak charges, their balance is thrust forward, aimed to slam into their opponent and disrupt _their_ balance. That's how Axebeaks fight, by slashing each other up until the injury of one leaves them open for a direct charge, followed by the deathblow." Zozma explained. 

"Wow…" Ally was filled with fascination. Slightly distracted, she kept flickering between different shapes, happily becoming different shades of an Axebeak, a Rabbat, and a Razorback. Zozma laughed.

"Alright, training's over for today. I'll leave you to experiment." Ally, temporarily an orange Rabbat, looked up at him.

"Thanks, Zoz!" Her voice was a piping reed of the Rabbat, and she became herself again to talk properly. She whipped out Kupa and touched it to her brow in mock-salute. "Till next time!" She dashed out, leaping into the air to shift between Pickbirds, Rabbats, and Wyverns, laughing excitedly. 

** /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-**

The time shifted to next week. Ally was out in the open-air passages of Chateau Aiguille. Kupa was drawn, and she was experimantally swishing it in a various combination of swipes, thrusts, and blocks. Zozma had taught her how to use it. The thought of Zozma made her sneer though; she had gotten in an argument with him. Ally muttered sullenly to herself, a dark mood hanging over her.

"_Mystics aren't any better than humans, Zoz. What makes you think you're so superior?_" Something abnormal had happened to her when she was converted into mystic form. The young human's ethics had not been changed or diluted by the mystic influence. Other mystics who were once human readily adopted the opinion that they commanded a greater respect than mere humans could give. All her life, though, Ally had a strong sense of equality. She spurned racism with a fiery passion, respecting all religions, cultures, and creatures. This was one of the reasons she'd never killed a monster in combat, she'd felt she didn't have the right to. Her transfer to mysticism had in no way altered her beliefs.

Growling in irritation, she sheathed Kupa firmly, if not a little violently. She spread her arms in the air, focusing on the form of a Rabbat, but a black-furred Rabbat. Her morphs were mirrors to her feelings, and she was in a foul mood. Launching into the dark air of Facinaturu, she did several loops and figure-eights, her spirits heightening now that she was in the air and free. 

"_Ah, this is so much better than walking around in that dumb dress_." Her mind wandered back to the tailor shop, where, under her fervent protests, Zozma had forced her to wear a dress. "proper mystic wear, my tail." She squeaked in the high thin Rabbat voice, waving her tail to emphasize the point. "Since when did you care about proper anything?" She let out a high, supersonic screech, joyfully rounding the towers of Chateau Aiguille on velvet wings. Curiosity snagged her, and she rounded the back end of the castle, observing the alternate and seldom-used pathway that branched from it. She looked at the array of monsters that lived back there, oblivious of her presence. She swooped low for a closer look, and was knocked out of the air by something heavy. Shrieking in alarm, she flapped hard to regain air, pivoting to see her assailant.

It was a Sonicbat, but the biggest Sonicbat she had ever seen. Flapping it's powerful, blood-red, webbed wings, it glowered at her with a fierce green eye, which glinted like a marble deepset in charred wood. Ally tilted her wings up in indescision, and the other bat took the opportunity to bear down on her again. In pain, she snapped her thick tail out, catching him on the wing as his fangs embedded themselves in her side. The attacker lost air and dipped through the sky, unfortunately dragging his victim down with him. Ally flapped helplessly, but couldn't dislodge the iron hold of the other bat, which had moved so he could scratch her wings with his claws. Screaming in pain, she twisted away from his talons, struggling to escape. It seemed that he would overpower her, but just as her wings were becoming umworkable, her blood running down her fur, staining it blue, a similar shape whizzed through the air like a bullet, striking the hapless Sonicbat from the side.With a cry of surprise and pain, he faltered, releasing Ally from his jaws. She whipped her tail viciously at her opponent's face, making solid contact to the eyes. The other bat roared in pain, preparing a supersonic attack. In the Rabbat form, she couldn't hope to survive or escape it, but she didn't have to. Several of the same swift shapes hurdled at him, striking ruthlessly as he flapped clumpsily to attack. Ally tried to escape, but her wing, torn and bloody, suddenly gave out. Plummeting to the bottomless chasm, she was so scared she couldn't even cry out. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she flapped uselessly with her reamaining wing, terror flooding through her soul.

"_Aaaah!_" Out of nowhere, one of them turned on her, slamming her ruthlessly into the stone walls of Facinaturu, attacking her as well, killing her…Or where they _helping _her? She slipped down painfully, but landed with a soft thud on an outcropping in the stonework! Her rescuer, whoever it was, had saved her! She couldn't remain as a Rabbat any longer, she was both helpless and in pain. Jerkily and with difficulty she shifted back into mystic form, breathing hard and struggling to stand. Searching the skies, she was now able to see the situation.

Rabbats! Rabbats like she was only brief seconds ago! Circling, striking, retreating from the huge Sonicbat. Five of them, large Rabbats, who skillfully weaved and ducked their enemy's shots. 

**Take a good look at 'em. You'll be seeing a lot of them later**. Her voice wavered with mixed sadness and happiness at their mention.Unable to stand watching them fight alone, she weakly managed to morph into a Thundragon, her most powerful winged form. She roared in rage, clawing the air in a show of force. Her throaty growls alerted both Rabbats and Sonicbat, and ,despite the situation, she almost laughed at their comic expressions of shock. Her rescuers scattered in an instant, and Ally was upset she didn't have a chance to thank them. The Sonicbat, however, sneered in a stunningly human gesture, disapparating in a flash of mystic charge. She was stunned; her assailant was a mystic. 

She had no doubt who he was.

**Guess who.** She stated with distaste.

Ally was badly scared now. She had been attacked by another mystic, she needed to tell somebody.

"_Tell somebody who loves you, he won't let anything else happen to you_" Being thoughts, she couldn't silence them, and inevitably they led to Orlouge. She was filled with intoxicating happiness at the thought of him, and somewhere behind the wall of charm, she was abhorred by her own feelings

**The latter emotions become much stronger later, trust me. **She noted laconically, clearly trying to restrain furious hatred.

In a flash of golden flames, in which Ally had specifically perfected as a her signature mystic mark, she faded from the craggy desolate atmosphere and back into Chateau Aiguille. She curled up inside her coffin, now used to it's confining atmosphere. Breathing hard and trying to calm down, she gripped her head, trying to stifle the flood of thoughts Orlouge brought to her mind that she couldn't ignore.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The next day, Ally woke up from a uneasy sleep filled with frightening dreams to see her teacher, looking edgy and disgruntled. Before she could ask if he was still mad at her, he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Orlouge wants to see you." He said, again, but unlike the first time, his voice sounded weak, lacking its usual bravado. Eagerness flooded the young mystic, and she hastily prepared to teleport away from her teacher. However, before she quite got the chance, Zozma reached out and gripped her upper arm.

"What is it Zozma? Urgh, can't this wait?" Ally shook herself free from his grip. Zozma's eyes held her though; there was a pleading light to them, a worry. "Zoz! Is something wrong?" She cocked her head to the side worriedly, her eyes mirroring his expression. He seemed unable to tell her though.

"Ally, Orlouge..Do you-no you don't. The title of…Er, ..." He struggled to word what he wanted to tell her, shifting uncomfortably to the other foot. Still, he couldn't tell her, he couldn't bring himself to explain to her the significance of the title 'princess'. "You need to hurry and go."Was all he said. She glowered at him in an I-could-go-faster-if-you'd-let-me manner before teleporting off swiftly. She didn't notice his pained expression, and she would remember it later as an unspoken warning. Light faded sharply from Ally's eyes as her personna burst into flames, consuming her self into the shrouds of disapparation. Next moment, the mists parted, her eyes again could see in the dim lighting, and she was very suddenly in Orlouge's presence.

It had been at least a week since she had seen him, and she was again unprepared for the emotional battlefield his appearance caused her. Racing almost painfully fast through her, causing her to involuntarily gasp. Even White Rose couldn't ignore the surging emotions that chilled her to the core. The charge of charisma from him was staggering, and her very thoughts and mind changed under his influence. If this was hypnotism, she wanted it to last forever. Of course there was still fear, try as she might she couldn't supress it entirely. The mere power of him made her tremble, but only slightly. Then he smiled at her, and she almost went over into blissful euphoria.

"You have been trained properly by Zozma?" His voice, so light and enticing, overpowered her completely. 

"Yeah, er, yes my lord." She emphasized by nodding vigorously. Odd, really. She would never have said 'my lord' to anybody else, she was far too estranged from titles like that. But here she was, agreeing that she was below the mystic before her. It wasn't an issue of pride with her; she did it out of total respect and adoration. False emotions.

**I don't wanna hear a single word outta you over this.** Grumbled Aleeta. White Rose wouldn't have, because this was the exact same way she felt around the Charm Lord. Overpowered, weak, and filled with the despised urge to worship him. Of course, it wasn't despised in the eyes of his 'princesses'. They felt the pleasurable love of being deeply cared about by Orlouge, ready to do anything and everything for him.

**Lies.** Her voice trembled audibly, so shaky that White Rose had a hard time making out the words. **All lies! Lies and lust, no real love from him.** White Rose felt it would be safer for the both of them if she just stayed quiet and watched. She was right, thankfully.

"I wish to try out your skills." He said, his voice insinuating, causing a tingle to run through Ally. She was instantly charmed, charmed almost to the point of delirium. Of course Orlouge could test out her fighting techniques. How could she possibly say no to the man who cared so much about her? She would do whatever he asked, she loved him so much. He loved her too, she could feel it in a warming sensation that swept through her body and mind.

"Sure thing, my lord." She cheerfully piped, whipping out Kupa fluidly and balancing the tiny blade expertly. Holding the hilt the way Zozma taught her to, she adjusted her wrist to compensate with the size of the knife. Looking up expactantly, she was surprised to see Orlouge seemingly unarmed.

"Aren't you gonna use a sword or something?" She asked quizzically. Orlouge smiled down at her, and for the first time she noticed that he was taller than her. She was six feet tall.

"No, my dear. You obviously still use physical attacks, but I use mystic energy to fight." He crooned. She shuddered, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Actually, she felt excessively ecstatic.

"Wow…that's amazing!" She practically gaped in admiration. Finally, she seemed to snap out of it sufficiently to ask a question. "Any rules to this? Anything important I should know first?"

"No, no rules." Mystic energy crackled faintly from him, and Ally nodded. She wasn't sure if she should wait for the charge or go for the first attack, so she brought the blade in a defensive position, watching warily from behind it. 

She wasn't ready when it happened, the shot came so fast. In a bang of mystic energy, Charm Lord sent a charge of it at her. She took it painfully in the stomach, but didn't double over. Instead, the injury caused her to leap forward in retaliation. Swinging her katana in a complex slash, she was met by a blade like Ciato's, a mystic sword. She yelped in surprise, not expecting a blade of any kind from him. He gripped her arm and delivered such a blast of energy that she was blown backwards, hitting the floor in agony from it.

"Ouch…" Was her only response, aside from pained breathing. Surprising herself, she was able to get up quite easily. Glaring, slightly irritated by her failed attempts, she lunged again, ready this time. Their blades clashed together in a shower of hot sparks as the two crossed swords. Ally was smart enough to pull back instead of trying to overpower Orlouge, but couldn't move fast enough to avoid a raking cut that stung her shoulder and ribs. Ally brought Kupa up and over with amazing speed, slicing into Orlouge's shoulder in retaliation. Sidestepping lightly, she backed off, distancing herself.

"That all? Heh, no way! Was that an effort or a warm-up?" despite the fact that these words were insults, Ally couldn't help but say them. No matter who it was against, Aleeta couldn't resist taunting her opponent in a battle.

**I _have_ been hangin' with Zoz too long…** Ally snickered. 

**~**The lord could have killed you if you had insulted him! You were very reckless at this time.**~** White Rose chided the unruffled young mystic.

**Still am, m'friend. **She responded lightly. **Nothin' now, never, or ever'll change that. If I'd gotten wiser in the time in Chateau Aiguille, would I be here?…Actually, I proba'ly would for some crazy reason or another. Knowing myself, I'd pop in to see what it looks like, then get stuck. Oh, and blast everything apart when I found out.**

Orlouge's sword hissed through the air, and Ally deflected the blow wih difficulty, swinging around to strike back. Not only did he counter the blow, he sent a sphere of mystic energy at her, which she wasn't fast enough to dodge. 

"Aaaah!" Her eyes blazed angrily at the fact that she was hurt and winded and Orlouge was barely scratched. Cursing softly, she glanced at her Kupa, running her hand slowly over the sharp edge. Calculated fighting wasn't her style, but she was going to have to resort to it. And fail miserably. Until a really crazy idea flashed through her mind. Would it work?

"_Hm…No, prob'ly not…Am I gonna try it? Yes_…" Ally clasped the end of Kupa, focusing her energy in a way she wasn't sure could be done. A faint crackling hum began to issue from the crystal sword, and it's blade was consumed by a sharp charged energy that shook and jolted the tiny knife in her hands. She gripped it tightly as the charge accumulated, hardly able to contain it's fierce energy. Orlouge didn't know what she was doing, so he couldn't counter it or properly defend himself from it. Gritting her teeth, Ally waited just a little longer as the charge was building…Then, in an unexpected motion, she released Kupa, the energy blasting around her in a blinding white aura. Ally was ready for this, and had closed her eyes against the blinding charge before releasing it. Judging by Orlouge's cry of surprise, she guessed he hadn't. Snapping her eyes open, ignoring the fainter-but-still-painful light, she lunged forward, slamming full into him, digging her feet against the tiled floor, she knocked him backwards. In a swift movement, she pinned him down, Kupa a few inches from his throat.

"Hah!" She exclaimed triumphantly, her dark red eyes glinting exultantly. Charm Lord wasn't out though; reaching up, his hand closed over her stomach. In a sudden explosion of pain, she cried out as what felt like fiery claws ripping into her, twisting sharply, turning… "Owch!!" And crushed sharply on her back with Orlouge pinning _her_ down instead. "Oh, not _again_." She groaned, disquieted that she had been thrown by the same move two different times. 

"Give up?" There was a force in his voice that was very unsettling. Aleeta didn't answer for awhile, debating the best possible answer. He didn't give her the chance to complete her thought though, he leaned forward and kissed her sensually on the lips.

Poor Ally was completely taken aback by the unexpectancy of this. She froze in something akin to shock, or maybe disgust, followed by terror, followed by a blinding wave of blissful ecstasy all under five seconds. Sudden as it was, it was an undeniably pleasurable sensation.

**Not one word. Not. One.** Aleeta muttered through what sounded like gritted teeth.

Ally was dazed by it, to say the least. When Orlouge finally released her from it, her eyes were as big as saucers, and her face had an expressipon of open-mouthed rapture. Her senses were swimming in a delirious mess, but there was a part of her that couldn't be persuaded. Deepset, she wasn't swayed by him, no matter how blinding his influence was. As the happiness faded, she realized with a sickening jolt that he was still pinning her down.

"Um, you're still on top of me." She said, squirming uncomfortably with the usage of the terms.

"Yes. And?" he answered, speaking a little too suggestively to for Ally's liking.

"Well, are you gonna, like, you know, get _off_ of me?" She stammered, guessing the answer.

"Maybe." He smiled coyly. This made matters worse for the panicked young mystic.

"_Oh crap_. _What am I gonna do?!_" A fullisade of thoughts rushed through her, overpowering her sense of reason. Both this and Orlouge's charm resulted in a shift to Ally's most volatile mindset. She remembered…

"_When fighting, remember: Stay on your feet, keep your weapon forward, and when all else fails, improvise…" _A flashback as she remembered Zozma's instructions for all fights, which she had rarely heeded, save the last part. Be that as it may, she wasn't going to mess up her only chance of escape.

**Yep, panic won over passion, thank gods.** Aleeta stated, satisfied.****

Locking her crimson glare on Orlouge's lighter ruby eyes, she allowed herself a small evil smile. "Who said anything about giving up?" She drawled. Smoothly, she swung her free arm up, her heavily studded bronze armlet struck the unsuspecting Charm Lord. Crude and brutal as it was, it was very effective. Struggling briefly, she pushed away from Orlouge, scrabbling to get back up into a fighting position. In a fluid instant, they were both on their feet again, brandishing their weapons. Orlouge growled very softly, and Ally hoped he wasn't too mad for being outmoved. However, she couldn't help but grin deviantly at his vexation.

**Alright, I was a little more reckless back then then now… A little, heheheheh. **

"Do you dream much, Aleeta?" Orlouge aasked quietly, taking slow graceful steps towards her.

"_What the hell kinda question?!_" Is what she wanted to answer, but she setled on, "Um, a little, yeah." Backing up from him a few steps, she frowned and added, "Why?" 

"What do you fantasize?" He asked softly. Ally felt a sickly wave of adrenaline.

"Nothing…I just dream." Glaring, she couldn't suppress an angry "What is all this?" Orlouge smiled, but didn't answer. Aleeta glowered back, not at all amused. 

She stepped backward and felt a hard granite surface on her back. A wall. She'd backed herself into a wall.

"Oh kuso." Was all she got out before she was immobilized by Charm Lord. "Oh, hell no." She spat. "I know where this is goin'. Stay away from me or I swear I'll kill you." 

"You wouldn't dare try." The commanding innuendo of his voice was laced with ominous warning. She was paralyzed with fear when she heard it. 

"_What am I gonna do?!"_

_ "Don't do anything stupid."_

_ "He warned you."_

_ "You warned him first."_

Ally's eyes opened, narrowed, burned a hard resentment. Orlouge wasn't going to control her. In a blur of movement, fast as greased lightning. she struck as hard as she could, The tiny katana drawing blood freely, being wrenched out and held, quivering. All happened so fast, Aleeta was stunned. Slowly, she looked down, seeing Kupa dripping with another shade of blue. Time stopped. Slower than anything, she looked up at Orlouge, his robes ripped and bloody. And his eyes. The bright crimson eyes turned from disbelief, to fierce indignation to boiling hatred. Ally's muscles went slack in terror, and she turned an icy cold in the pit of her stomach. She froze in abject terror for a second, gaping in disbelief at herself. 

"_Run!_" Ally, mortally terrified, spun on her heel and ran, faster then she'd ever run in her life. She forgot she was a mystic. She forgot she could teleport away easily. Her reactions were born of pure, unfiltered, primal instincts. About two steps, she was filled with another instinct that may have been human or mystic or both. She threw herself down on the floor, narrowly missing a shot from Orlouge. She felt the searing burn of it as it flew right abover her, singing her hair. Scrambling back up, she bolted for the double doors and sprinted down the dark passages of Chateau Aiguille.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

She ran, the fear clouding her sense of direction. It didn't matter where she was going, just as long as she got away from him. White Rose felt the fear and adrenaline slamming through her veins. Jumping over stones and grabbing poles to turn more sharply, she raced through the castle, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. That was flat out the craziest stupidest thing she'd ever done. Upon brief reflection, she felt that it was probably the fatalest thing she'd ever done. Not looking where she was going, she crashed hard against the rose-entwined gates of Chateau Aiguille. She cried out as the rose's thorns cut into her and the heavy bars bruised her, but then she ignored it, struggling to open the double-door gates.

"Open up, dammit!" She screamed at them. Bringing out Kupa, she clattered it against them uselessly, making an unholy racket in the process. Cursing, she whirled around, sensing a mystic aura. There stood Ildon, a sword drawn and a grim expression on his face. She was sure he was sent to bring her back. 

"Ildon, no, please! Don't take me back! Oh gods, Ildon, I'm begging you! Mind you, if you try, you'll need more than a Cure to fix yourself up." Ally half pleaded, half warned. Ildon responded coldly to her.

"I was ordered by the lord to apprehend you and bring you back." He said impassively.

"Oh, you suck." She spat. "There's no way in hell you can force me to come with you. Come on, you wanna try me?" She didn't doubt he would, but was distracted when something hard and heavy crashed into the back of her head. Reeling, she whipped around to see none other than Ciato. The general was smiling malignantly, and Ally's blood boiled. 

"I knew Zozma wouldn't be able to train you. You're both alike, weak fools who shame the title of mystic. Orlouge will punish you slowly, make no mistake about it. Perhaps he'll blame that filth Zozma as well…" He mocked. This was Ally's breaking point. White Rose felt her snap.

"That's it, you're gonna DIE!" she leapt at the general, disregarding her blade for a physical assault. Battering him with her fists, she shouted between blows. "Don't you EVER insult me OR Zozma, you fucking bastard!" Ciato was taken under the rain of fierce blows and shouts, but retaliated forcefully, bruising her while she drew blood on him. She was in such a rage, Ildon had to interrupt the brawl or Ciato could have very possibly lost his life. Gripping Ally by the wrist, he yanked her backwards off of the beaten general. Two against one was an impossible fight, but the disheveled mystic girl put up a good resistance.

"Let me GO!" She screamed at Ildon. "I'm not gonna run, I'm gonna kick that son of a bitch's ass!"

**When talking to Ciato, there's no such thing as unacceptable speech.** She smirked.

Ciato leered at her and struck her in the stomach. Yelping in pain, she lashed out with her free arm and hit him back, striking him hard across the face. Ciato was about to gruesomely mutilate her with his mystic sword before Ildon intervened.

"Ciato, the lord wants us to bring her to him, not to kill her." He said in the same icy tone he always used. Sneering at the mystic prince, he grasped her other wrist. 

"Fine." He answered, his voice seething with vehement hatred. "We'll get to see that happen anyway." And Ally was dragged towards the throne room, struggling, kicking, and cursing. It looked hopeless, but she wasn't about to give up.

To be Continued 

if Biyouku bothers me enough

which he will

****


	4. Shattered

Before This- Shattered

Kamll: Finally...The fourth chapter is finished! Man, that was exhausting.

Biyouku: Awww, poor Kam-sama…Sorry I ran off on you.  

Kamll: *glaring* You weren't much of a help! Running off for 2 months…Ill have you know I wrote 8 pages worth of absolute crap while you were gone, and had to rewrite the entire thing when you FINALLY decided to get your orange _self back over here to help me!_

Biyouku: *big watery puppy/camel eyes* C'mon, Kammy-chan. Truce? If people really wanna see an author and her muse fight, they can watch Asurahime and Hideaki go at it. I said I was sorry…

Kamll: *resolve crumbles at the big watery puppy/camel eyes* Damn muse charm… *hugs Biyou-chan tightly* Alrighty, truce my orange affiliate. Let's show the disclaimer and get this fic rollin'! 

*Five Rabbats hover over the fic, struggling to hold the disclaimer banner gripped tightly in their tails*

                            Disclaimer:

            I don't own SaGa Frontier, except for my own beloved copy, which I am currently replaying again. Which quest you ask? Take a wild guess… ;) I  DO own the Rabbats. Not their conceptual design, but the individual ones. Have you ever seen a green-eyed Rabbat named Jouh while you were playing SaGa Frontier? Well there you go. He and the others are © to me, as well as their language (which doesn't really exist, but this is fan_fiction). _

*Rabbats drop disclaimer banner on Kamll. Loud cursing is heard* 

Biyouku:*laughing* I'll help ya, Kam, hahahaha!

Kamll: Shuup and roll the @!@^&#$%^ fic! @%$@^%$^! Those @$^%^%$&^ Rabbats@$%-#+%$^@#!!!

Biyouku: Heeheehee, enjoy the ficcy, I need to help my author before this becomes a whole page worth of edited cussing. Enjoy! And, on Kamll's behalf, Please review! Every single review is appreciated! Besides, Kamll stops eating if she doesn't get any.

Kamll: Hey! That is _not_ true! You orange #%~!%@%*# liar!!!

Biyouku: *snickering*

Ildon and Ciato had moved expertly, grabbing her by the wrists and pulling both ways, pinioning her. This skillful move was meant to prevent her from rushing either of them or struggling too much. The latter they couldn't easily prevent. She flung herself back forward, as much to the sides as she could. Her feet scrabbled wildly against the polished floor, and sparks flew from her in her panic, threatening to singe the other mystics. Their strong grip also restricted her mystic energy, much to her anguished dismay. 

"Please, lemme go, he's gonna _kill_ me!" She wailed, aiming a kick at Ciato, which unfortunately missed. Ildon pulled her harder, dragging her away from the mystic general. 

"Why did you stab him in the first place? You are not only ungrateful, you are stupid as well." The Black Wing's icy voice knifed through her. 

"Oh, just shut up!" She snarled. She didn't feel his words now, but she would feel them later. Feigning a charge to the left, she flung herself back in futile hopes of dislodging herself from their grasp. Sneering, Ciato dug his nails into her flesh, but the young mystic ignored the pain. Her struggling reached alarming ferocity as she neared the rose-entwined double-door gates of the Charm Lord's throne room. Ciato and Ildon couldn't easily control her anymore, and, even with powers curbed, Ally was fueled by heart wrenching desperation. Hot sparks flew from her, and her eyes, which had changed from soft brown to red when she had been transformed to a mystic, darkened from their crimson to a fiery maroon tint. The gates swung open slowly. 

**I won't interrupt this part; it'll lose its effect. Don't worry though, I'll still be here. I'll just be quiet…for a change, ne? And with a final echoing outburst of insane laughter, she receded in ominous silence, leaving White Rose "alone" in the macabre retelling of Ally's memories. **

"No way!" Aleeta cried in a strangled voice. Spurred by panic, she strained away from her two captors so hard she felt she would break her arms. However, she could feel it right now; a few broken bones would be far better than whatever she was going to get from Orlouge. 

Leaning back, she lashed out her foot at Ildon, catching him hard in the shin. He loosened his grasp in pain, and Ally used the free hand to give a sharp blow to the side of Ciato's head. Stunning the general painfully, she attempted to flee. However, Ildon recovered quickly and grasped her upper arm. Instinctively, Ally's other hand had gripped the gates. Heedless of the stinging tear of the rose thorns, no power in land, sea, or the heavens could have forced her to let go. Gathering his bearings as well, Ciato pulled her forward. However, she wasn't about to let herself get dragged to the Charm Lord.

"Let go!" snarled Ildon, obviously losing his patience.

"When Hell freezes over!" Her voice bit at him defiantly. He pulled her ruthlessly forward, along with a slightly dizzy Ciato. Aleeta risked a swift glance in the Charm Lord's direction, and she felt her chest sharply constrict, catching her breath.  He was seated on his throne, his robes fluttering in their invisible wind. The very air around him was charged with a dark energy. Hesitantly, she met his gaze. His expression was unreadable, but that did nothing to reassure her. She was a pessimist, making the unknown the worst.

"He _is _gonna kill me!!! I know it!" Ally screamed. She gripped the gates tighter and strained away from her two captors, going through painfully wild measures to dislodge their grip on her. Ildon was stolid, but Ciato was losing his patience. Releasing her arm, he clamped his gloved fingers tightly around her neck, choking her. Instinctively, she bared her mystic fangs in a macabre snarl, and bit down on his hand as hard as she could, working her jaws to inflict the most pain and damage. Ciato screamed in pain, let go, and struck her across her face.

"I'll teach you to attack me, you filthy-" His words were cut short by the sharp crackle of his mystic sword materializing in his injured hand. Ally yanked her hand free of Ildon's grasp and plunged it into her cloak, closing on the hilt of her sword and swinging it out in a wild arc. It connected with Ciato's as it swung down at her, and deflected the blow, but the impact wrenched it free from her grasp. Sneering, the general caught it by its glittering blade. In the same instant, Ildon regained his grip on the young mystic, wrenching her away from Ciato.

"Lemme go, you idiot, he's got my blade!" She snarled at Ildon, angered by his condescending manner of not answering her, as if she was below his notice or he simply couldn't be bothered.

"You stole mine first." retorted Ciato from a safe distance. "And you never returned it either." He added mockingly, referring to the night they had first met. And fought.

"What' you'd actually _want that sword back? It was crap!" she sniped back. Ally didn't consider herself above petty arguments such as these, and stressful situations always made her more snappish and petulant. And reckless, because she was now bad-mouthing an armed mystic general while pinioned by Ildon's grasp and her own steadfast hold on the gates. In a flash, Ciato had his mystic sword poised threateningly over Ally's head, a malicious glimmer in his eyes._

"Ciato, the lord told us not to kill princess Aleeta, merely to bring her to him." Ildon stated nonchalantly to the livid general.

"Kill? She won't die. She'll wish she could when I'm through with her." Unarmed and defenseless, Ally could do nothing but watch Ciato advance. Moments before the blade could slice her open, Orlouge finally spoke.

 "Don't move."

 The two words were spoken softly, but were filled with such power of command that everyone froze as if the Charm Lord had shouted. Aleeta stopped struggling, Ildon stopped pulling her, and Ciato froze, although Ally thought that it was surely costing him every ounce of willpower he possessed not to bring his sword down on her head. The general was actually twitching. It would have been very funny for her, if the circumstances weren't so serious. 

"Let her go." Orlouge said, just as softly. Ildon released her and backed off swiftly. Ciato yanked his sword back bad temperedly and stalked away.  A deadening silence filled the vast chamber of the dimly lit throne room. Nervously, Ally ran her tongue over her teeth, around her new fangs. Ciato's blood tasted strong in her mouth, and she spat it out in revulsion. Upon further thought, she released her grip on the iron gates, wincing at the wounds of the thorns and her strained muscles.

"My lord..." Ciato spoke nervously, but malevolently. "My lord, this girl should surely be put to death. She directly attacked you. And she resisted return to you for the consequences of her thoughtless actions." Ally shivered violently, hatred for Ciato almost blinding her. 

"Ciato, my dear general, think what you are saying." Orlouge spoke insinuatingly and softly, eyes roving over Ally all the while. She felt a prickling wave of fear surge through her. "It would be a waste. A waste to kill someone with such skill with even such a short knife. Speaking of…" Ciato offered Kupa to Orlouge, who studied it with crafty interest. "Yes, it would be a waste to break the spirit of someone so fiercely determined, so obstinately defiant." Ally couldn't believe her ears. Was she going to be let off? Eyes wide as saucers, she looked up in disbelief at the sputtering Ciato and the smooth-spoken Charm Lord. "And..." continued Orlouge, his voice dropping to a whisper and his eyes glittering hungrily into Ally's gaping stare, "It would be such a waste to kill such a beautiful woman as her." Ally yelped aloud, both recoiling from the comment, but unable to keep a small plume of pride from welling up in her. So Lord Orlouge, Charm Lord of Facinaturu and ruler of all mystics, most powerful being in the universe, thought she was beautiful. It wasn't the kind of knowledge that would bring about modesty. And it was very unsettling to hear. Orlouge was silent for a little longer, perhaps in amusement of Aleeta's reaction. She had dropped her eyes from his mesmerizing gaze, but she could almost feel his eyes on her.

"But surely, my lord, she needs to be taught some sort of lesson. Something to impress upon her the importance of this transgression, some measures to make sure she doesn't dare disobey you again." Ciato, of course.

"You're right." Orlouge said reflectively. Brief silence as he examined Ally's knife a while longer, calculating. Then, "Leave us alone." he said curtly to his two mystic warriors.

"What?!" Ally and Ciato's voices chorused. Ciato's was a harsh snarl of outrage, but Ally's was a shrill of terror. Bad as the situation was, unarmed, flanked by the prince of mystics and the sadistic general, before the lord of all mystics, it would be a hundred times worse to be unarmed and completely alone him. Her fear did wonders for her self-restraint, but it was by very little that she clamped her mouth shut over an obscenely-worded objection.

"But, my lord!"  Protested Ciato loudly, who had obviously meant for a more painful measure for Aleeta. Orlouge whirled around to face his general, eyes suddenly ablaze with fury. Ildon left very quickly

"Do as I say." He snarled fiercely, the force of his anger blasted Ciato to the stone floor. Scrambling to his feet while avoiding the glaring eyes of his lord, Ciato apologized profusely, his eyes livid with fear.

"Just go." Hissed Orlouge, anger turning to cold disdain.

"Yes, my lord, I'm sorry my lord." Gushed Ciato, bowing deeply before evaporating from the room. Ally's throat constricted with the sudden, although obvious, realization that she was alone with Orlouge. He turned to her, and she slunk back slightly, thinking that maybe his explosive anger at Ciato would be carried over to her. Regardless, she didn't dare try anything to get away again.

"You can stop worrying, I'm not going to punish you." Said Orlouge calmly. Ally didn't really believe him, but she relaxed slightly anyway. Taking one more risk for the day, she asked what she couldn't stand to hold in.

"What're you gonna do now?" as an afterthought, she hastily added, "my lord."

"Nothing for you to worry about." He answered simply. Thinking that her worries were more than a little different than what Orlouge thought they should be, Ally nodded shakily.

"I want to talk a while with you." He said.

"Oh? Talk? Just talk? Sure...that's safe…" she awaited the Charm Lord's next words, all the while carefully examining the intricate stonework on the ground. She felt horribly vulnerable and alone without Kupa.

"Why are you so terrified of me?" He asked gently. "None of my other princesses fear me. Why do you?" Ally didn't answer. Orlouge waited a few moments, then continued insinuatingly. "Terror really doesn't become you, my dear."

Aleeta's mind was racing. Her instinct to flee had returned, and the Charm Lord's mannerism was putting her under heavy unease. Her lowered eyes slid left and right, searching for a window, a hole in the wall, anything she could escape from in any form of monster. Orlouge obviously sensed her panic to escape.

"Aleeta." He demanded, drawing her attention exclusively back to him, "Look at me." Ally stiffened sharply, hesitating. "Come on." Urged Orlouge, and the impatience she picked up in his voice was the impetus she needed to look up. No sense risking more of his anger, she was scared enough as it was. Raising her eyes, she locked them with the Charm Lord. And strained every iota of her self to resist the urge to just lose herself in the shimmering vermillion orbs. He really was beautiful, and she gaped open-mouthed a little bit before wresting a sliver of self-control from her clouded mind. His charm and power flowed through her, intoxicating her senses.

"Are you afraid of me now?" he asked, sounding confident and amused.

"No..." She replied dazedly. All she could feel was irresistible attraction, and no amount of fierce denial could mask it.

"Good." Orlouge moved closer, eyes glittering. "Amazing. You're possibly the rarest example of a mystic I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."  He was clearly enjoying his control on the young mystic's emotions, and was studying her eyes with such intensity that she felt a current of exhilaration tingle through her entire body.

"You're fighting your emotions." He observed, eyes narrowing minutely. "Why?"

"I have no idea." She protested weakly, forcing her thoughts in order. "It's not intentional; you can trust me on that." 

"If I gave you the opportunity, what would you do now?" He questioned. Blinking, Ally thought for a few moments before answering, "Stand in the middle of the room for a few minutes trying to answer the exact same question." Much to her astonishment, Orlouge laughed. She didn't even know he was capable of expressing the emotion, but it somehow made her feel better.

"I knew there was some reason I liked you, my dear Aleeta." He said warmly. Then, more seriously, "Don't oppose me, I don't want to kill you. I have never met a mystic like you before, but I can feel how your mind moves. Did you know there are those who are immune to my aura? There are, although they are few and very far between. But you aren't one of them. No, you are different. You are more than immune, yet you aren't immune at all. I know you can feel me. I know it, Aleeta. When you look at me, your pulse quickens. Your heart races. Your breath comes in short clipped pants. You hunger for me, an insatiable desire to be near me…" His voiced had dropped to a lusty timbre, and he drew Ally close to him, lightly brushing his hand across her face. Hot fire raced through her body and mind, but she stiffened and shrank away from his touch. "And yet!" Sneered Orlouge, releasing her from his grasp, "You willingly, actively, and forcefully resist me!" The young mystic balked under the fierceness of the accusation, her mind confused and overwhelmed. "And I know why, it's clear as the crystal of your knife. I know your thoughts, exactly. You don't want to slut for some sexually thirsty _vampire!" He spat, baring his fangs angrily on the last word. Holding up Kupa, Orlouge sent a vicious surge of energy into it. Pure crystal cracked and shattered. Ally gave a cry of terror and dismay, unable to register that her pure crystal blade, her Kupa, her indestructible companion, had just been destroyed. The shards dropped to the floor and clinked against the stonework like drops of rain._

"I never said that! I never even _thought that!" protested Ally, pained by the accusation and terrified by his show of power._

"You haven't dared say it, but I can see it in your heart. I can read it in your eyes." He glared at her, making her insides squirm with heated guilt. She shook her head in weak denial. "But no matter." Orlouge continued in a softer tone. "Don't do this to yourself. Don't pull yourself in different directions. You have nothing to gain and everything to lose from it. I don't want to hurt you, but you know I can. For your own sake, don't force me to. There is only one reason you're not dead yet, and that is because I favored you immensely. You're valuable to me. And I wasn't lying when I told Ciato that you are, indeed, beautiful." His voice had softened even more, and he wrapped Ally in an ardent embrace. She flinched, but couldn't pull away. Tilting Ally's head up so their eyes could meet, Orlouge stared down the desperate young mystic. She reached a breaking point of emotions, where his allure and her aversion reached a high. But her indecisive paralysis formed a weakness, and his charm worked on the weakness, penetrated her resistant facade, and broke her into bits. 

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**Next morning! Ally announced loudly, abruptly shifting the time pattern of her tale. ****No way is this story becoming a lemon; you can use your own imagination for elapsed time. ****And I'm sure you can manage it quite well, you hentai. Heeheehee, I'm jus' jokin' with ya. That said…Aw, just watch. This hasn't even started yet.**

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Aleeta's eyes fluttered open. She had no memory of how she had gotten back to her coffin. Slowly, her consciousness stirred under her sleepy mind. Then, quite suddenly, she was wide awake.

With a resounding crash, she slammed the lid back on its ancient hinges and forced herself onto her feet. Open mouthed, wordless with revulsion, plagued by fresh and vivid memories, she clamped her hands over her head, trying to sort out some kind of reality, a hold on right and wrong. But reality was denied her. She was among a race of beings who were supposed to be little more than myth.  Not just with, she was _one __of them! In a region that had just as much basis in reality, with a society that differed greatly from humans' in moral standards. _

"Oh my God…" she whispered weakly, over and over again. Heedless of the fact that she was fully clothed, she plunged headlong into the wintry pool in her private chamber, clawing the icy water all over herself. Dripping and shivering, she clambered out and huddled in a corner, her mind buzzing. Then, standing up, she allowed herself to slip into Rabbat form, the same black one as before,  intent on shielding herself behind the simple instinctual mind of the monster. Flapping her leathery wings, she spiraled upwards and headed for the gates of Chateau Aiguille, to the town outside. The spikes of the gates pressed into her as she squeezed through the narrow gap, scratching her flesh under the fur. Then she was free of the castle, flying through the eternal night sky of Facinaturu, flying aimlessly until exhaustion forced her to alight awkwardly on a glimmering crystal statue. There were no plants in the dark region, save for the enchanted roses in the Chateau. The lack of sunlight had long since killed the last tree. Hanging from her tail, staring sightlessly into the starless sky, she only dully noticed the shapes of other Rabbats, five of them, land either side of her.

"How's it going?" Ally asked dully, mockingly, expecting no answer. A sharp chirruping hiss startled her. It almost sounded like an 'it goes well, stranger.' But that was absurd. Rabbats couldn't talk. Turning her eyes on the creatures either side of her, she laughed humorlessly. "Y'know, I could have _sworn you were just talking to me." This time there was no mistaking it. A small blue-eyed female answered her._

 "I did."

**One o' the things I think I can teach you in this story, Rose. Surprise surprise, monsters are sentient.  Yes, all of 'em. Not just the rare few individuals who can speak like humans, or the Lummox clans in the mountains, or the Undead that were once human. And I'll bet anything they have souls too. **Her voice was soft, almost tearful. **I know these Rabbats do. Or did. How long has it been...? **She broke off, and White Rose got the distinct impression she was crying.

            "Ack!" Ally was so shocked that she loosened her tail-hold, and fell flat in the dust, much to the surprise of the other Rabbats. Flapping furtively to shake the grit out of her fur, she leaped up and beat her wings to hover beside the others, completely forgetting her earlier predicament and instead totally fascinated by the monsters of her acquaintance.

            "You can talk!" She cried in amazement.

            "So can you!" Another light-furred male with golden eyes answered back, mimicking her shocked tone.  The others laughed. Ally was too startled to take offense, but did feel rather bad. Who knew monsters could be so sarcastic?

_"So much for a simple instinctual mind…"_  Then, she felt a tug of recognition.

            ""Hey…wait a second…I know you! You saved me from Cia- er, that Sonicbat a few days ago!" They stopped laughing, and fixed her intently with their glittering eyes. They remembered too "Um…thank you. Why did you save me?" The golden-eyed male shrugged, an odd thing to do when you only have wings. "You're a Rabbat. Even though we've never seen you before, we couldn't just let you get thrashed by some ugly bat. You're almost family."

            "Um…I'm not a real Rabbat though." She said guiltily. A split second later, it occurred to her that maybe, just maybe, that telling them she was a mystic would have a negative effect. But too late.

            "What were you born as then?" Inquired another blue-eyed female, this one with pale amethyst wings. Ally blinked, not understanding. The Rabbat continued, sensing her confusion. "You know, you must have acquired the Rabbat form at some point if you're not an egg-born. So, what were you? Pickbird? Armorpilla? Razorback?"  Ally considered. She could lie, but she was very poor at it. Also, when unexpected questions were sprung up on her, it never occurred to her to tell anything but the truth.

            "I'll tell you if you promise not to fly off. I'll even show you." Ally said, landing on the ground and balancing herself on her tail. Looking up at the Rabbats, she saw them exchange glances in puzzlement and suspicion. But finally, a chocolate-eyed female nodded. "We promise." Ally sighed.

            _"Kame, don't let 'em run away screaming." _For some reason, it felt very important to her that these Rabbats weren't scared of her. They'd saved her life.

            "…Alright." Smoothly, her wings retracted, her velvety fur withdrew from her flesh, and her more human features emerged from the Rabbat body. Within seconds, she was standing in her original body, looking at the suddenly eye-level Rabbats, who were gaping in shock.

            "You said you wouldn't go!" She pleaded with them quickly, taking a step back and raising her hands in a placating gesture. "Look, I'm not even armed!" She was sharply reminded of her loss of Kupa, and of her emotional confusion over Orlouge. But she shook it off, almost positive none of the monsters noticed.

            "You're a mystic?" Asked the smallest one, who looked much more interested than afraid.

            "Yep." She said brightly, with a bow. "Name's Aleeta. I hate it. My nickname's Ally, but for some reason, I'm starting to think it's useless, 'cause there ain't a person I know who will call me by it." She purposely avoided telling them she was a Princess of Orlouge, but she didn't quite know why.

            "You're a mystic…And you're bowing to _us?!" Asked the golden-eyed male in astonishment. "Why?"_

            " 'Cause I can't shake hands." Said Ally with a wink, breaking the tension that had formed. The others laughed. Ally grinned, genuinely enjoying herself. "Alrighty, what're _your names?"_

"My name's Eli." The small blue-eyed female said. 

"Isn't that a guy's name?" Asked Ally, smirking not so innocently. 

"Ally's a guy's name in our language." Eli replied, grinned triumphantly. The young mystic couldn't keep up a glare, it dissolved into restrained giggling.

"I'm Zeeb." Said the lilac-winged female.

"Jouh here." Said an emerald-eyed male with russet fur.

"Gerardicus Russelmaerc. Just call me Geri." Spoke the golden-eyed male, smiling toothily.

"I'm Bonn" the brown-eyed Rabbat said, waving her tail.

 Ally looked around at them. "Amazing! I can't believe you guys talk English."

            "But we don't speak English." Jouh contradicted. "We're speaking Ŧevarbΐ, the Rabbat language. And so are you!" Ally was startled, but skeptical.

            "I am? No I'm not; I can't be. I don't know a word of it!" But, even as she protested, she heard her mouth stringing squeaks and grunts and the oddest of sounds together to create a complex web of words and grammatical structuring that she understood perfectly. "Oh wow…How do I know this stuff? Can all mystics understand you?" She asked, awed by the way she could speak freely and easily without saying a word of English.

            "We wouldn't know." Eli answered darkly. "You're the first mystic who's so much as even acknowledged our presence without trying to kill us. I snuck into the castle once with Zeeb and Jouh, just to see what it was like." She said, gesturing her tail at the two. "We were run out by some guards who were shouting a lot. No, I don't think other mystics can understand us. If they did, I don't think they would have let us go, because I called them some things that high-ranking mystics probably, er, don't like to be called." She said craftily. Ally laughed hard, along with the others. Hours passed, and Princess Aleeta, noble mystic princess,  lounged comfortably against the glimmering crystal statue, with  her dress in the dust, chatting animatedly with mere winged vermin in the eyes of Orlouge and the other mystics of the court. Even Zozma would never sink so low. But at that moment, Ally simply didn't care, and it didn't seem disgraceful to her at all to be in the company of such well-mannered and amicable creatures. Morphing back to her Rabbat form, she was engaged in a spirited race around the Chateau's towers, laughing gleefully as she sped alongside her new friends

            _"What would the court say if they could see me now?"_ Aleeta thought happily, flapping hard to pass Jouh at the third tower, laughing exultantly as she and the other five Rabbats formed an aerial dance of speed and beauty through the eternally night sky of Facinaturu.

                                                                 To Be Continued.

            *Finally extricated herself from the disclaimer banner* Thank you thank you _thank _you for all your reviews of past chapters! Means lots to me! AND I DON'T STARVE MYSELF WHEN I DON'T GET ANY, BIYOUKU! Yeah, I decided to give this chapter  a good ending for poor Ally. I've finally introduced the Rabbats to the storyline. The mystics and mere monsters…they aren't going to mix too well, now are they?  Biyouku was all for it, but I couldn't bring myself to make this story a lemon. I mean, I probably could...But that would be a little blasphemous, me making an NC-17 story when I'm only 15. Think about it. Anyways, Ja ne for now minna! Review that story! Please? I'd like to hear if you think my story's good /bad /worse than sh*t /amazing…etc. etc. etc. Bye bye now.  :)****


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